Life's Q4

LIFE IS AN AUDITION I remembered having originally met Clarence at a formal dinner party. Sitting next to this Englishman that evening, probably because he was bored with the other conversations going on around us and after several glasses of wine, Clarence had confided that he was `always auditioning'. Leaning towards me, lowering his voice and taking off his glasses, he had talked about the fact that one could never let one's guard down. He had said: “I always remind myself that plays and films only last a short time and that I have to be ready to compete for the next part that comes up. The older I get, the more arduous it gets because there are always new actors coming on the set… the competition is always there, and always changing”. Remembering his comments, I was sure that some of his experiences in facing competition would help Fred. Advice After we all introduced ourselves and chatted about our backgrounds, Clarence monopolized the conversation. He had the actor's ability to take over a room, changing character as required. He had quickly assessed Fred and understanding his problem, had taken the role of avuncular uncle and boomed: “Now look here Fred… life is what you make it, old chap! In my considered opinion, it's like a continuous audition”. “You KNOW that whenever we meet new people, they study us and evaluate us and, of course, we do the same. They look at the way we move, how we speak, what we say and how we say it. They may do this consciously or unconsciously, but I assure you that at some level WE ARE being evaluated. Decisions are being made in seconds whether we can be trusted, believed and accepted … or not. We are therefore constantly being auditioned”. Complacency He went on to say that in spite of a relatively successful stage career in England, now that he was in Canada complacency was his biggest enemy. “In my business I can never assume that the part I have now will keep me employed for any length of time” he said. “Stage productions have a definite shelf-life and audiences are very fickle”. He reminded himself every day that no job is forever. He kept in touch with producers and directors and maintained his network of relationships current. He said he always tried to be available for interviews and always wanted to be ready for the next step in his career. Games He described himself as a `disappointed realist'. He said: “I've always been a trusting soul, loving my next door neighbor and believing that hard work and ethics would always get me through”. He blew his nose in the big handkerchief he carried up his sleeve and after shoving it back in, went on: “Unfortunately I found out that there are games being played, and then other games within games … and then MORE games within games.” His face was red. “In my business, before an actor is even considered for a part, all kinds of other negotiations are taking place… there are producers who want their play done… directors who want to get top billing on theater posters … real estate agents who are promoting one venue over another … theater owners who worry about filling every seat… event planners and caterers who are only interested in how many bottles of champagne the opening night will bear … other actors who will pull every string to get picked for a part … associations, organizations and countless other entities who have their own agendas. All these games that are being played have NOTHING to do with MY career, but they directly affect MY life and MY future …. and I have no control or influence over any of those games at all!”. Clarence was well into his monologue: “The same kinds of games are being played in ALL businesses. For example, Fred old chap, your old company outsourced your department because someone `upstairs' probably decided to save the company some money. Or maybe it was because the competition did something similar. Or perhaps because an outside supplier made them an offer they could not refuse. Or maybe it was simply a new Vice-President who wanted to show he was following the market's current outsourcing trends….. whatever the reason, it had nothing to do with YOU Fred, except that in spite of your 25 years of faithful service, YOUR life is affected. THAT is why I am telling you to stay competitive, my boy!” He calmed down and, dramatically dropping his voice continued: “So I'm a bit paranoid, you see? Because of these realities, I need to BE competitive in my game and need to be SEEN to be competitive. Even though I am 55 years old and have a long, proven track-record, I keep up my skills - every year I take at least one course on voice projection or on method acting and I always look for training that will keep me current on my craft. This means that I can still look forward to a few more parts over the next few years, mainly because I have kept up with what's going on in my field. This makes it easier for me to adjust to the needs of the market.” He sighed deeply, obviously exhausted by his outburst. Then he suddenly leaned forward again and in a stage whisper said: “The BEST strategy in life, dear boy, is to have YOUR OWN GAME for which YOU make up the rules, and you TELL NOBODY what they are!” and he sat back, smiling triumphantly.